


Home for the Summer

by Ladyjaybird



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Awkwardness, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivious Steve Rogers, One Shot, Post-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 02:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladyjaybird/pseuds/Ladyjaybird
Summary: Steve is really glad his best friend Bucky is back from college for the summer. And the little touches and sweet compliments Bucky keeps giving him aren't bad, either. But Bucky is just a naturally flirtatious guy, right? Or is something else happening here? (Spoiler: yes)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 13
Kudos: 91





	Home for the Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Whoa, my first Stucky fic! I thought I'd trying writing something short and sweet for the boys. I've been meaning to for ages and finally got something finished. Hope you enjoy it!

Steve handed Bucky a can of Coke, and took a sip from his own before plopping down next to his friend on the double bed.

“Thanks, Stevie.” Bucky rolled the can against his forehead and sighed. “Fuck, man. I thought my second year away would be easier, but it wasn’t. I’m glad to be back in Brooklyn.”

“You won’t be saying that once we hit July. I doubt we’ll get the air conditioner working by then.”

Bucky chuckled. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll just put one of those blocks of ice that you call hands on my face to cool down.”

“Hey!” Steve gently elbowed him in the ribs, even as the thought of touching Bucky’s face made his heart flutter. “My circulation is much better now.”

“Yeah, your growth spurt has been good for all kinds of reasons.” Bucky grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

Steve blushed. If he really wanted to torture himself, he could tell himself Bucky was flirting with him. But he wanted to enjoy this afternoon with his best friend, so he vowed to not take his words too seriously. Bucky always joked around, it didn’t mean anything.

“So what have you been doing since you got back?” he asked.

“Just waiting on you to invite me over, sweetheart,” Bucky said, giving him a huge blinding grin. “And you finally took pity on me.”

Steve took a long swig from his Coke. He wanted to make another quip, but he was coming up blank. “I’ve been busy with school, you know that,” was what finally came out.

“I know, pal, I’m just messing with you. So how were your finals? Did you get the results yet?”

“Yep. Got A’s on everything except my European history course.”

“What? But that was like your best subject—well, I mean after art.”

“Yeah. But Professor Zola is kind of a dick. He gave me a B+. I think he knew if he gave me a grade any lower than that I’d have been hounding him with emails and not-so-friendly office visits. But I couldn’t really prove that he had it in for me.” Steve shrugged. “I’ll just take it on the chin.”

Bucky paused, as if he were desperate to make a crude joke, then shook his head. “That’s bullshit, man. Wish I could straighten him out for ya. I could make him cry, you know.”

“Yeah, I know you could, Buck. Thanks for having my back.”

“Anytime, pal.”

They lay in silence for a minute or two, sipping their Cokes.

Steve could feel his skin buzzing a bit, but in a pleasant way. They were just enjoying the June heat on a lazy day, no words necessary.

Except Steve apparently felt the need to blurt out, “So you never really mentioned—were you—are you seeing anyone, or what?”

Ohhh shit. Why did he even ask? For a moment Steve considered burrowing under the covers and waiting for Bucky to leave.

Bucky eyed him for a moment, then shrugged. “I dated a little bit, but I haven’t started, like, going steady with anyone. Didn’t seem worth mentioning. Although Nat—you remember her, right? Well we did go on one date, but about ten minutes in we realized we were better off as friends. She’s amazing. Some nights we stayed up until like five a.m., just talking.”

Steve took another sip of Coke to avoid having to say anything other than “mmhmm.”

He could feel Bucky side-eyeing him, but studiously avoided eye contact, even though he loved looking into those sparkling baby blues.

“She’s got a boyfriend now,” Bucky said casually. “Clint. He’s kind of weird but cool. You’d like him.”

“Oh—that’s cool,” Steve said. He didn’t even try to stifle the relief that flooded through him.

Bucky nudged him. “I hope you’re not jealous, Stevie. If I could’ve hung out with you instead, I would have. But you had to go and pick a different university from me, and break my heart—”

“Shut up,” Steve said, and winced. It had come out a bit harsher than he’d intended. “You know I couldn’t go to school without a scholarship, and NYU gave me—”

“Hey, come on, man, I’m just messing with you.” Bucky slid his arm around Steve’s shoulders, and Steve had to bite back a gasp. “What about you? You been breaking any other hearts while we’ve been apart?”

Steve blushed. This guy was going to be the death of him. He leaned ever-so-casually against Bucky’s arm. “No. I’ve been—I’ve been swamped with work, you know. I took five classes last semester.”

Bucky whistled. “Yeah, I still can’t believe that. Four is my limit, man. You deserve a summer off.” His leg brushed against Steve’s, and Steve went cross-eyed as he stared at Bucky’s ripped jeans, where he could see enticing tanned skin and his barely visible golden hair through the strategic tears in the denim.

“No, I’m gonna try to work at the ice cream place again,” Steve said as if on autopilot. “The scholarship covers my classes and dorm room, but I still need money for books and art supplies.”

“One day you won’t have to worry about that, when you’re a famous artist,” Bucky declared. His leg began to bounce against Steve’s, and Steve tried not to wheeze, even though his asthma had improved a lot since he was a kid. “You’ll be the star of all these fancy parties and everyone will want to commission work from you.”

Steve smiled. “Sounds nice, Buck. Now if I could just get a little more talent first—”

“Hey.” Bucky set his Coke down on the floor, turned onto his side and wrapped his other arm around Steve’s shoulders. “Look at me.”

Steve could only obey, and try not to drown in those pools of blue, which now looked dark with frustration.

“You are a freaking amazing artist, Steven, and don’t you dare ever think otherwise. You’ve been great at drawing even when I could only draw stick figures.”

“So like now,” Steve cracked.

“Laugh it up, wise guy. Make fun of me all you want. But not yourself. Because I know, and you know, how talented you are. Got it?”

Jesus, Bucky’s face was so close to his. Steve could feel the warmth of his skin, smell the peppermint bodywash, and the citrus shampoo he used on his thick brown hair.

“Stevie?” Bucky prompted, his voice soft and slightly husky.

Steve gulped. “Got it.”

“Good,” Bucky murmured, voice still low and gravelly. He leaned in closer, his sweet breath wafting over Steve, and Steve held his breath and closed his eyes, waiting for Bucky’s gorgeous, full lips to touch his own.

A knock sounded on Steve’s bedroom door, and they jerked away from each other.

The door opened. “Steve, honey, are you—” Sarah Rogers broke off when she saw Bucky. Her face lit up. “Bucky! When did you get back from Pennsylvania?”

“A few days ago. How are you, Sarah?” Bucky flashed her his megawatt smile, and they chatted for a few minutes while Steve tried to get his breathing and heartbeat back to normal, and absorb what had just happened between him and Bucky.

Or nearly happened.

“Will you be staying for dinner, Bucky?” Sarah asked.

Bucky glanced at Steve, and he saw real regret in his eyes. “I’d love to, but we’re having some of my aunts and cousins over tonight. Gotta celebrate my annual return and all.” He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and grinned. “Can I take a raincheck?”

“Absolutely,” Sarah said. “I’ll make whatever you want, just let me know what and when. I know Steve has been dying for you to come back, haven’t you honey? It’s been ‘Bucky this, Bucky that’, for weeks now.”

Steve’s face flamed as he swigged back the rest of his Coke and put the can on his nightstand. He wasn’t sure why he was so embarrassed. They were best friends, of course he’d be excited to see Bucky again.

But then, they’d never been seconds away from kissing before, so. He wasn’t really sure what to do now.

Bucky chuckled. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing him too. Always glad to be back with my best friend.”

“Aww, Buck,” Steve said, leaning against his side. Bucky didn’t resist or pull back. “Ain’t you sweet.”

“All right, I’ll leave you boys to it then. See you soon, Bucky,” Sarah said, smiling as she left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

They were alone again. Steve waited for that fuzzy feeling in his stomach and his head, but nothing came. Maybe the knowledge that his mother wasn’t far away had ruined the moment.

Or maybe there had never been a moment, and he was just imagining things.

“Stevie,” Bucky murmured. There was that deep, sexy voice again.

“Yeah?” Steve cringed. His voice was too loud, too harsh.

“You okay?” He rubbed Steve’s arm, and he immediately got goosebumps. Okay, the fuzzy feeling was back with a vengeance.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he squeaked.

“You sure? You seem kind of nervous. Want me to leave?”

“No, don’t leave,” Steve blurted out. “I mean, you can if you want to, but I don’t—I don’t want you to. So. You know.”

Bucky nodded, then ran his finger down Steve’s arm. “You know, I always miss you when we’re apart, Steve. So many times I want to tell you something, then remember that it’d have to wait cuz you weren’t just down the street from me. I’m glad we get to have this summer together.”

“Me too.” Steve gazed into Bucky’s eyes, and felt himself going limp at the love, affection, and lust he saw there. “Bucky,” he whispered.

“Yeah, baby doll?” he whispered back, running his finger along Steve’s bottom lip.

“Kiss me,” Steve begged.

He could feel the sunlight warming the room, and see the gorgeous light of Bucky’s smile.

“Thought you’d never ask,” he said, and finally kissed Steve.

Steve moaned softly as their lips surged against each other. Bucky groaned in response, and wrapped his arms tight around Steve, pressing their chests together.

They kissed until they had to break apart for air. Steve pressed his forehead against Bucky’s. He couldn’t stop smiling.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for that,” he confessed.

Bucky hmmed. “Me too, doll. Guess we should’ve done something about it sooner.”

Steve rubbed Bucky’s back, hoping Bucky loved the soothing motion as much as he did. “It’s okay. Even though I wanted it, I don’t know if I’d have been able to handle it before. But I’m ready. Do you—do you think you are, too?”

Bucky kissed him again, soft and sweet. “Baby—I’m with you till the end of the line.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
